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272 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [SEPTEMBER, 1906 
P. stapelioides, Pleurothallis Smithiana, P. stenosepala, Physosiphon 
Loddigesii, and various other interesting things. 
Time failed us to note everything in flower—whether we missed any 
house altogether we are uncertain, but we know that some members did so 
—and we will conclude with a note on the unflowered hybrid seedlings, — 
which have been left for a paragraph all to themselves. 
Hybridisation has been carried on at Burford for a long time, and with 
considerable success, and in two of the houses we found large numbers of 
seedlings in almost every stage, some still on the seed pot, but the majority 
established in their own receptacles, of which a large number were in 
lilliputian thimble pots, which always amuse those who have not much 
experience of Orchid raising, while their occupants are viewed with the 
greatest curiosity and interest. And they were thriving wonderfully, just 
as baby Orchids should do, and generally do, where their wants are properly 
attended to. An experienced member of the party quickly produced a lens 
and pointed out numbers of tiny green globes, which were potential 
Orchids, though at present they: looked more like examples of the rootless 
duckweed, Wulfia arrhiza, which had somehow got stranded. We did not 
find any of M. Bernard’s symbiotic fungi, but doubtless they were there in 
countless thousands, though not imprisoned in the famous tubes. But 
where was the curious “ F.1” generation ? Is it not yet found among 
Orchids ? One sharp-eyed individual discovered a small seed-pan, bearing @ 
label with the brief inscription, “ Rolfe,” and containing a number of young 
plants with two or three leaves each. What did this portend? It was 
explained these were seedlings from Epidendrum x kewense (evectum X 
xanthinum), self-fertilised, with the view of testing the re-appearance OF 
otherwise of the original specific characters in the first generation, OF 
‘‘F.1” of Mendelian nomenclature. The result has already been predicted- 
Let us wait and see how it works out. At all events we have made a start 
among Orchids, which would seem to be peculiarly well-fitted for expeti- 
ments of this kind, because of the ease with which the pollen can be 
manipulated, and the comparative absence of risk of the results being 
vitiated by stray pollen from an unknown source. The chief drawback 's 
the amount of time required for the seedlings to reach the flowering stage 
But Orchidists who are interested in testing the Mendelian theory bs 
heredity should try to self-fertilise a few primary hybrids of known origin, 
and note the result. 
But we are digressing, and must return to Burford, just to say ae 
much we enjoyed the ramble among Sir Trevor’s pets, whose diverse - 
multitudinous wants must keep Mr. White and his assistants pretty busy . 
times, for the collection is large, very rich, and in excellent conditio® 
generally. 
